Wing Chun debuts at SCO Summit in Tianjin

An excerpt from Shenzhen's original dance drama "Wing Chun" was featured last night at the cultural performance for the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, which is being held in Tianjin. 

The two-day SCO Summit, scheduled to conclude today, is the largest gathering since the establishment of the organization with Chinese leaders joining heads of over 20 countries and 10 international organizations. It is the fifth time China has hosted the event.  

At the cultural performance Saturday, titled "Creating the Future Together," lead dancers Chang Hongji and Wang Yuanlin showcased an exhilarating martial arts exchange between Wing Chun and Baguazhang in the three-minute standalone segment, and masterfully blended the beauty of dance and martial arts.

Dancers perform “Wing Chun,” an original production from Shenzhen, as part of the cultural celebration at the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin.  CCTV.com

Chang, a principal dancer of the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater who plays the role of Ip Man, said the segment "Wing Chun and Baguazhang" is a representative segment of "Wing Chun" that merges traditional martial arts with dance. It not only reflects the innovation of integrating dance and martial arts, but also demonstrates the inheritance of Chinese martial arts.

Wang, a dancer of the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater who plays the role of a Baguazhang master, added that the performance differed from theatrical performance in terms of choreography, texture, and costumes. "We hope to convey the spirit of inheritance in Chinese martial arts to leaders from different countries," said Wang.

A moment from Shenzhen’s original dance drama “Wing Chun,” performed during the cultural showcase at the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin. CCTV.com

As a cultural symbol of Shenzhen, "Wing Chun" is produced by the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC and the Shenzhen cultural, sports and tourism administration. It graced the 2024 CCTV Spring Festival Gala and has been performed over 200 times in more than 50 cities worldwide, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, London, Paris, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Its appearance at the SCO Summit's cultural performance not only delivered a visual feast, but also showcased the confidence of Chinese culture in the new era.